Standing at football: 13 clubs back pilot scheme

Thirteen English league clubs support reintroducing standing at football grounds, according to a fans' group.

On Tuesday, the Football Supporters' Federation is hoping to win the backing of MPs for its plans for a small-scale trial at Premier League clubs.

It believes the pilot scheme would show standing - outlawed after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 - is now a safe way to watch football.

English league clubs backing trial

Aston Villa

Brentford

Bristol City

Burnley

Cardiff City

Crystal Palace

Derby County

Doncaster Rovers

Hull City

Peterborough United

Plymouth Argyle

Watford

AFC Wimbledon

The Premier League have released a statement opposing the idea.

FSF's Peter Daykin said: "We need to find out if it can work and the only way to do that is to trial it."

But a Premier League statement says they will "not be encouraging the Government to change the law".

It reads: "Since the introduction of all-seater stadia the supporter experience has improved significantly and we have seen more diverse crowds attending Premier League matches, including more women and children.

"The police, safety officers and licensing authorities remain clear and have consistently informed us that crowd management has improved as a result of all-seater stadiums being in place in the top two divisions in this country."

All-seater stadiums have been compulsory in the Premier League since 1994, following Lord Justice Taylor's report after the
Hillsborough disaster.

But MP Roger Godsiff has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for government approval of a pilot scheme.

The FSF says the idea has the support of Aston Villa and the Scottish Premier League plus 12 Football League clubs, including
Peterborough United,
Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Derby County and Hull City.

“I feel insulted that people are trying to fight for justice for Hillsborough while this campaign is growing”

Margaret AspinallChair of Hillsborough Family Support Group

The proposal is to introduce a design of "rail seat" currently used in some European countries such as Germany. This incorporates a safety barrier and a flip-down seat on every other row. The seats can be locked in an upright position, meaning two rows of supporters can stand in between the barriers, which reduces the danger of a crush.

This type of standing area would also be able to be converted to seating for European competitions, where all-seater stadiums are required.

A panel of industry experts containing Villa's chief executive Paul Faulkner and West Midlands Police Force Superintendent Steve Graham will present a case for allowing standing at matches at Portcullis House in Westminster on Tuesday.

FSF's safe standing co-ordinator Daykin told BBC Sport: "The debate about standing has reached a point where both sides are entrenched.

"Things have changed dramatically since 23 years ago when the Taylor Report was produced.

"They have moved on massively in terms of technology and know-how around safety in football grounds.

"What we are calling for is a number of small-scale trials at Premier League clubs up and down the country.

"Then experts, safety officers and the police can see how it works in a modern context.

"We have had 50 MPs sign up to Roger Godsiff's EDM and correspondence showing support from more MPs unable to sign."

The campaign for the introduction of safe-standing areas has already met with some opposition from the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

"There are 96 reasons why it should not be allowed," said Margaret Aspinall, whose son died at Hillsborough.

"Standing should never, ever come back. I do not think there is anything safe about standing.

"I feel insulted that people are trying to fight for justice for Hillsborough while this campaign is growing."

Comments

Uman rights laws are there to protect the crminal not the victim n this govt should opt ahrt of them. Thass is cains, germany so i ear as far more og an ooligan problem than ere due to standin. Those who want standin back are supportin twice as many injuries n accidents than are caused by seatin. There the facts n thass all there is to it, no to standin ever comin back.

Not checked with Safe Standing, but isn't denying the choice to stand a restriction of human rights? After all the "human rights" defence is used to justify all sorts of nutty activities, so for a sensible request like standing it should sail through.

It was still a pitch invasion, carried out by Scottish fans celebrating winning the Championship, the Home Internationals were not stopped because of this as you stated, England pulled out stating they needed to play tougher games, the Republic of Ireland replaced them, If seats are removed from stadiums and barriers put in there can be no surge, come out of the dark ages mate

Far too many people are misinterpreting this article. It's not saying that terracing will be coming back, it will be an area of the stadium where people are allowed to stand and enjoy themselves and bring some much needed passion back into the British game.

What is the difference between standing at a gig/festival and standing at the football?

I don't understand the objection of the Liverpool fans. For years we have heard how the tragedy at hillsborough was all the fault of the police and the FA, and now suddenly it turns out that terraces were to blame.

Calling for a ban on standing at football because of hillsborough is like calling for a ban on all motor vehicles because of a single motorway pile-up.

Just for @775Love a duck eh,EH!! Cor Blimey Trouserzzz, me old china, Whaaasattt all abaaat, eh?Have a butchers at the top of the screen and cast your minces over the Dolly Mixtures. Yew no naffin mate, I'll see you dowwwn the rub a dub for a quick chin wag over a King Leer.

My porky pal Mark,was telling me that his boss,Jom,had a similar issue to JP (769). Both are"larger"gentleman, and currently have to purchase 2 seats to fit their extensive rear ends comfortably.With terracing they will make a saving of £28 per season since they only attend one match.Mark tells me that he intends to spend his £28 on bhunas while his boss,Jom,has decided to spend his on tash wax

Yeah n the best thing Charl'on did was to get rid of them, all they ever did was play into the ands of the oi pelloi with their bile n vitriol, iss a much more friendly atmosphere dahn our gaff nahadays. Football is sposed to be a abahrt friendship not atred.

The Hillsborough argument: many who chose to stand in the Leppings Lane end probably wanted to stand rather than be in the no-atmosphere seats. They had a choice, albeit an unsafer one than what we can have today. Would they choose to stand now? Impossible to say. However to deny them the choice is the scandal. Stand on rugby ground terraces. Is that unsafe? No. Football should be no different.

The throbbing crowd, long coats, faces wrapped against the chill night air. Everyone close together, firm grips upon the cold metal rail in front, knees trembling, determinedly focused on the action. Suddenly the plucky attacker nips round the back and it's in! Screams of delight abound.

I imagine going to the match instead would have been just as much fun.

Go abroad (Germany for example) & see noise, passion, singing, in value for money stadia. Foreign visitors coming to see English football now must be sorely disappointed by the lack of any atmosphere from the stands. The "entertain-me" brigade have won in England. It's no better than watching it on the TV. Places like Charlton had the massive terraces that provided the passion. Now no more.

I will stand up (excuse the pun) for Liverpool fans being reluctant, as they have had tragedy against them, but seen the worst too at Heysel with poor structure and not entirely blameless behaviour. Standing can be controlled. Away fans stand regardless anyway, as do certain sections of home fans. Why not allow safe standing areas? 769 (JP). If I could re-tweet you I would. Raised a smile.

My portly friend Paul is behind the initiative to bring back safe terracing.

At present he has to pay for two seats per game due to his sheer size, but reckons paying for a safe standing place will save him approximately £534 a season, enough to furnish him with Jaffa Cakes and Vimto for 3 weeks.

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